EUROPE – Vienna has reported its second-best congress result ever. Compared to 2013, the full-year 2014 figures show an increase in events, as well as in the resulting overnights and value-added.
The totals fall just short of 2012’s record year for the Austrian capital.
“In 2014 Vienna achieved significant increases in all key congress indicators compared to the previous year,” said Norbert Kettner, director of the Vienna Tourist Board.
“The number of conferences and corporate events rose by 6% to 3,582, a record level. The resulting overnights were also up 6% to 1,490,695.
The bureau also claimed the economic value added for Austria by the Vienna congress business last year represented an 8% leap to €898.9m, also the second-best figure after 2012.
The Vienna conference industry contributed 11% to Vienna’s total volume of overnights of 13.5m in 2014 and secured 17,000 year-round jobs throughout the country, according to the bureau.
Kettner said that Vienna’s place as one of the top three congress metropolises worldwide for many years, according to the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) ranking lists, could be attributable to several factors.
“Meetings in the Austrian capital are optimally supported by urban and academic facilities, and with 36 licensed certification agencies for Green Meetings, Vienna has already demonstrated vision with respect to environmental sustainability,” Kettner added.
Kettner said the city’s growing importance as a central European hub was proving to be a valuable asset. He highlighted upmarket hotel accommodation and the creation of a new district around the Central Station as providing further impetus to the meetings economy.
He noted that Vienna currently has approximately 64,000 beds and is served by direct flights from 170 destinations worldwide. The Vienna Tourism Strategy 2020 aims for another 20 direct connections from major cities worldwide, an important step given 72% of congress delegates arrive by plane.
Do you have news for CMW? Email: Paul Colston
